Speeches....

This week is another "on call" week for me at work.  A couple of weeks ago, I was sent an e-mail that asked if I would go to a junior high school in Yamoto to help out with a speech competition, though they did not know what times yet.

On Friday, I received a call asking me to also help out at the second junior high school in Yamoto in the afternoons, one to five, on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  I agreed since my schedule for the other school indicated morning sessions. 

Monday, I woke up early to try to talk to Bambie online, but unfortunately she was pretty exhausted from not having a nurse the night before, so we did not get the chance to talk.  I started getting ready for work and walked over to the first junior high school, arriving around eight thirty-five (my schedule said nine).  Turns out, they were not expecting me to arrive until nine-thirty, so I was nearly an hour early.  I sat at their normal ALT's desk and looked over the material that the student had memorized and tried to come up with examples of gestures for her to use for the different characters.

I was amazed by her pronunciation.  With the exception of a few words, she spoke very well and had the entire story memorized.  We spent about an hour helping her with the areas she was having trouble with before she had to go.  We set up a time for the student and I to come back on Thursday to work on it some more.  I stayed a little while to talk with Monma-sensei before she sent me home an hour early.

I took the train over to my next school and arrived about half an hour earlier than I needed to.  Takeda-sensei took me upstairs to a classroom and asked me to correct her student's essays.  I spent about an hour an a half just reading over the essays, reading them out loud, and correcting them.  Again, I found myself amazed.  The first essay I edited had a lot of small mistakes, but overall had been well written.  Turns out that she wrote it basically on her own.  The second had fewer mistakes but a couple unanswered questions, and I discovered that Takeda-sensei had helped the second student.  Either way, both students had done an excellent job.

When I had first entered the school, I had several teachers ask me if I was the new ALT.  Takeda-sensei asked me if I was as well, and if I had been told that I would be transferring to their school.  I was surprised by this, and a little flattered when she said that she hoped I would be transferred to the school.  Come to find out, their ALT had quit during the summer break.

Once I finished correcting the two essays, I was sent home.  

I picked Brittany and Tatiana up from work so I could spend some time with Bri-chan before she left the next morning.  We had some soba from 7-eleven and helped Brittany pack up the rest of her belongings.  Tati and I will miss her lots.  I am excited for her, though.  A new adventure starts for her soon ^.^  I wish her all the best.